Heroic Games Launcher vs RetroArch
Heroic Games Launcher
heroicgameslauncher.comRetroArch
retroarch.comSide by side
| Figure | Heroic Games Launcher | RetroArch |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Game launchers | 7.9 (#25) | 9.1 (#6) |
| Spec score · Game Library Managers | 7.7 (#15) | 8.4 (#7) |
| Privacy | The FAQ says Heroic does not collect personal data, usernames, or passwords; optional anonymous analytics are off by default. | The privacy policy says third-party vendors including Google use advertising cookies on some of the project’s websites. |
| Purpose | Heroic is an open-source launcher for installing and playing games from Epic Games Store, GOG, and Amazon Prime Gaming. | RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines and media players that runs classic games through a graphical interface with unified settings. |
| Support | The FAQ directs users to the project documentation and Discord for help, and says persistent issues can be reported on GitHub. | The FAQ directs users to the forums, Discord and documentation for help. |
Plans
In their own words
Heroic Games Launcher
Heroic Games Launcher is a free, open-source desktop launcher for installing and playing games from Epic Games Store, GOG and Amazon Prime Gaming. It supports Linux, Windows 10 and 11, and macOS 14 or newer; SteamOS is supported with downloads available through Discover. Users can install, uninstall, update, repair, move and import games, and access the Epic and GOG stores from within the interface. Heroic supports Wine and Proton on Linux and CrossOver on macOS, with custom Wine and Proton versions available for Linux. It can sync game saves with the cloud and accepts games and applications outside Epic and GOG, though automatic updates or save syncing may not be available for those additions. The project says it does not collect personal data, usernames or passwords; optional anonymous analytics are off by default. Linux downloads include Flatpak, AppImage, RPM, DEB and TAR.XZ packages. Heroic is released under the GNU General Public License version 3.0. Its FAQ warns that using Wine or Proton on an unsupported operating system may result in bans, depending on the game.
RetroArch
RetroArch is a frontend for emulators, game engines, and media players, bringing them under a unified settings system. The RetroArch/Libretro project includes more than 200 cores across those categories. Its menu can group scanned games by system and display thumbnails and animated backgrounds. Common game controllers configure automatically when plugged in, and button actions can also be assigned manually.
Stackable shaders can change rendered graphics or imitate the look of CRT monitors. Built-in netplay supports hosting or joining network gaming sessions, including spectator mode. RetroArch can record gameplay to video files and stream games to Twitch or YouTube. Versions are listed for Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, macOS, and web browsers. RetroArch is free and open source under GPL version 3; the libretro API uses an MIT license. Features differ by platform and store version: the browser edition has lower performance and fewer capabilities than the full version, while Steam lacks Core Updater and thumbnail scraping and offers a selected core set.